Meet Howard Levine

The Write Way Cafe welcomes Howard Levine, author of Last Gasp, a timely, topical thriller.


When did you first have the thought you'd like to write a book?
I’ve been interested in writing fiction since college, when I wrote my first respectable short story, according to my professor at the time. I wanted to write a novel as a vehicle for the expression of certain understandings about life that resulted from my involvement with Transcendental Meditation.

What was your path to getting Last Gasp written and published? What type of research did you do?
A significant part of the backstory in Last Gasp involves the Vietnam War. A People’s History of the Vietnam War, by Jonathan Neale, was very helpful with my depiction of the war. I consulted various individuals with specialized knowledge—of air conditioning/heating and medical issues, to name a couple—over the course of writing the novel. Last Gasp was partially rewritten a few times, the last at the behest of my agent, who felt that some of the backstory should be cut: thrillers need to move forward. I think the novel definitely does now. My agent placed Last Gasp with Black Opal Books, an indie press that I feel has done a fine job with the novel.

Where did the idea for Last Gasp come from?
The idea came from the duplicity of right-wing US governments, combined with their hostility toward immigrants and Muslims.

Why did you pick the setting you did?
The Bronx and environs are familiar to me, so I felt that I could depict the settings accurately. Also, as indicated in the text, the area in which the terrorist attack (which is central to the plot) occurs is densely populated, which, regrettably, makes it a desirable target for terrorists.

Are your main characters completely imaginary or do they have some basis in real people? Do they reflect aspects of yourself?
While the main characters—two brothers--are not based on anyone I know, I think that they are very real in terms of their life experiences, their relationship, their personalities, and their reactions to the traumas that they undergo. They probably reflect aspects of myself—such as speech patterns-- in that I’m an ex-New Yorker.

Did you face any blocks while writing Last Gasp, and if so, how did you handle them? If not, what's your secret?
I don’t think I faced any serious blocks, and there’s no secret involved that I can point to. If I was stuck at a particular point, I naturally tended to think more about the novel when I wasn’t actually writing, which usually resulted in solutions presenting themselves. Also, I think that the regular practice of Transcendental Meditation enhances creativity.

What have been surprises you've encountered while writing Last Gasp and after?
I’ve been surprised at the way twists and turns of the plot seemed to spontaneously present themselves. After finishing the novel, I was surprised that I’d written a “thriller,” since everything else that I’ve written would not fall in that category.

What did you learn? For instance, what did you learn about yourself, your process, the writing world; about NYPD detectives, government, and terrorists?
I learned that writing about situations that I can relate to directly—I’ve experienced the loss of family members who died young, for instance—causes me to become totally involved in what I’m writing. The gap between myself and the material becomes non-existent. I’ve also learned, and readers have said as much, that the scenario in my novel is not all that far-fetched. The last two Republican presidents, and their enablers in congress, have demonstrated a willingness to do pretty much anything in order to maintain their power—start a war based on lies, do nothing about the yearly toll of death and injury via guns in this country so that the NRA and the gun industry will continue to fill Republican coffers, on and on.

Tell us about your writing space and how or why it works for you.
I write at a well-worn desk in my bedroom. It works because it’s comfortable enough and I can reach my computer—the only requirements for any space in which I might write. Usually I’m writing at the desk, but I can write anywhere, preferably indoors.

What are some of your favorite books and why?
Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, was deeply affecting, with a plot that built to a climax. Jennifer Egan’s One for the Goon Squad was both imaginative and gripping. Ditto for Hiruki Murakami’s 1Q84, which is the longest novel I can recall reading.

What are you working on now?
I’m working on a novel in which a retired couple rescues two undocumented minors from the desert in Arizona. They take it upon themselves to attempt to reunite the boys with their father in Maryland, circumventing the law in the process. I’m not working on it as regularly as I’d like, because promoting Last Gasp takes up a lot of my time.

Would you like to try your hand at writing a different genre? Which one and why?
As I mentioned previously, Last Gasp is the only novel I’ve written that fits into the category of “thriller.” My first published novel, entitled Leaving This Life Behind, could be called a family drama with spiritual overtones. Basically, I find a central idea for a novel and work from there. I have no genre in mind beforehand—that was true with Last Gasp.

If you were not a writer, what would your dream job be?
I can’t say that writing is my “job,” since I haven’t come close to making a living at it. I can’t really think of a dream job; I’m a retired teacher of special education and English for Speakers of Other Languages, and that suits me well.

What aspect of writing gives you the most trouble?
Facial descriptions are one area in which I’d like to improve. A related issue is finding different ways to indicate that someone is amused, or expressing amusement, and to what degree.

Frank Tedeschi’s niece is dead, one of thousands of victims of a terrorist attack, which has been laid at the feet of “Islamic radicals” by a right-wing US government.  Frank, based on a chance encounter, is one of the very few people who question the government’s explanation.  He is a Vietnam veteran who wants nothing more than to live without further controversy or conflict.  Can he and his grieving brother Rob, a detective with the NYPD, obtain the necessary evidence to uncover the truth, in the face of scorn and incredulity?  Can they overcome their long-term estrangement to work together, given that they are putting their lives in danger?

In LAST GASP—a novel that resonates with today’s politics—the answers to these questions unfold in a way that mingles personal and societal issues and intertwines the past and present while moving relentlessly forward.

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Howard Levine is the author of one previously published novel, Leaving This Life Behind.  A former teacher of special education and English as a second language in public schools, he lives in suburban Washington DC, where he hikes, bikes, writes and volunteers at a soup kitchen.  

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